Combined can opener and handle



May 26, 1953 F. w. WORMEILLE, JR 2,639,502

, COMBINED CAN OPENER AND HkNDLE Filed tpril 14, 1950 J0 J0, v Ji a??? M M v & lmzzm/wfi MWQMW1% Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a combined can opener and handle designed for use in opening and holding cans which contain a beverage such as beer or the like. Such beverages are usually chilled before being consumed. Hence it is desirable to hold the can by some attachment rather than by grasping it directly with the fingers. In this way the can can be employed as a cup and no other drinking vessel need be employed. According to the present invention, a device is made from a single strip of metal which is shaped to snap over portions of the end rims of a can, the strip being shaped into the form of a convenient handle. An end portion of the handle is shaped to facilitate the punching of one or more holes in the top of the can through which the contents may be dispensed.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a can showing the device applied thereto as a handle, the device itself and portions of the can being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the can and the device showing the operation of the opener;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device when attached to a can as a handle;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the upper portion of the device; and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 65 of Figure 2.

The device may be made from a single strip of metal such as steel of sufficiently heavy gauge to be stifliy resilient. One end portion I0 of the device is tapered to a point [2, this point being preferably shaped to be capable of penetrating the top of a can when pressed strongly thereon. Adjacent to the tapered end portion 10 is a transverse channel portion [4, this channel being arcuate with a curvature substantially equal to that of the bead or rim P6 of the can so that the channel I4 is adapted to receive and fit upon a portion of the rim IS. The opposite end portion [8 of the device is likewise provided with an arcuate transverse channel directly opposed to the channel I4 so as to receive and fit on a portion of the rim 22 at the bottom of the can when the channel I4 is on the rim l6. Between the channels 14 and 20, the strip is shaped in the form of a convenient handle 24, this handle being preferably curved longitudinally to a conventional shape such as is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The handle portion of the device is also preferably curved transversely, as indicated in Figures 1 and 4, to stiffen the handle, this curve being convex toward the can so that it can be comfortably grasped by the fingers of the person using the device. Near the upper end of the handle portion 24, a tongue 26 is struck from the strip to catch under the head It as a fulcrum when the device is used as a can opener, as shown in Figure 3. When the tongue 28 engages under the bead IS, the device is rocked about the point of engagement so as to force the point [2 through the top of the can, the tapered portion 10 then following the point [2 so as to cut a triangular aperture in the can having approximately the same area as the tapered portion Ill. The handle is then snapped on to the rim of the can, the grooves l4 and 20 being so spaced apart as to require the end portions of the device to be sprung away from each other in order to place the device on the can as shown in Figure 2.

In order to prevent the device from sliding along the rims I6 and 22, I may form small upstanding blades or edges 30 at the ends of the grooves l4 and 20. These blades rise above the bottoms of the grooves and thus tend to dig into the beads I6 and 22 when the device is snapped on to a can. This results in a firm grip of the handle on the can and prevents undesirable looseness.

I claim:

A combined can opener and handle comprising a strip of stifily resilient material having a pointed end portion adapted to pierce the head of a can and a fulcrum tongue projecting therefrom to engage under the bead of a can, said strip having an arcuate transverse groove between said pointed end and said tongue and a second arcuate transverse groove near the other end of the strip, said grooves being mutually opposite and spaced apart to receive and grip portions of the rims at the two ends of a can, each said groove having at each end thereof an upstanding edge extending across the groove and tending to dig into the rim received by the groove.

FREDERICK W. WORMELLE, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,209,676 Cooper Dec. 26, 1916 1,280,675 Cullen Oct. 8, 1918 1,996,550 Sampson Apr. 2, 1935 2,127,452 Wilkinson Aug. 16, 1938 2,424,094 Herr July 15, 1947 2,529,737 Oliver NOV. 14, 1950 

